


The Error of His Ways

by sidhe_faerie



Series: The Golden Kingdom (Camelot Drabbles Series 3) [15]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 03:22:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2009070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b>Balinor suddenly reappears but his motives are unclear.<br/>-<br/>Prompt 118 Errors</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Error of His Ways

**Author:** [](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/)**sidhe_faerie**  
 **Title:** The Error of His Ways  
 **Rating:** PG  
 **Pairing/s:** Merlin/Morgana, Hunith/Balinor  
 **Character/s:** Gaius  
 **Summary:** Balinor suddenly reappears but his motives are unclear.  
 **Warnings:** none  
 **Word Count:** 1014  
 **Prompt:** 118 errors 

** The Error of His Ways **  
Hunith answered the door with an annoyed look on her face. “What do you want?”

“Can’t I just come see the mother of my only son for no particular reason?” Balinor asked. He stepped forward to come inside but stopped when she didn’t move to let him pass.

“With you there is always a reason.” Hunith said flatly. “What is it this time?”

“May I at least come in so the neighbors won’t hear everything we say?” Balinor asked. 

Hunith sighed and let him inside. She closed the door and looked at the man that was more trouble than he was worth. “Start talking.” 

“I heard that Merlin was having some trouble. I just wanted to know what it is.” Balinor said.

“I haven’t heard of any trouble.” Hunith looked at him suspiciously.

“There are rumors that there people after him and Arthur’s new knights.” Balinor said. 

“Where did you hear that? Let me guess, you heard it in a pub.” Hunith said. 

“No. Some old friends gave me the message.” Balinor said. 

“If you think he is in trouble then why are you here and not at his place? Morgana likes you so that isn’t a problem. What Merlin sees in her is unknown to me.” Hunith shook her head and headed to the kitchen to turn off the whistling kettle.

Balinor followed her. “Morgana is a good woman, at least in this life so I’m told. She makes him happy.” 

Hunith set out two cups and made them tea. “Where have you been during the war with the English, Balinor?” 

“I was in London on business and I just finished up.” Balinor said. “Merlin was busy. I didn’t want to distract him.” 

“You have magick. You could have helped him.” Hunith said. “You are always doing the wrong thing. When will you ever learn?”

“Thank you for calling me out on the error of my ways.” Balinor sat the cup down. “I will see myself out.” 

Hunith watched as he walked out the front door. She had a bad feeling when she had seen him and it was getting worse now that he was gone. 

Across town, Merlin sat in his office at the Kingdom Building looking at the coded page and the translation he had made when there was a knock on his door. 

“Merlin?” Gaius said as he walked in. 

Merlin looked up. “I have a problem. I translated this but I think I’m in error because it doesn’t make sense. You taught me this language. Maybe you could look at it and see what I’ve done wrong.” 

Gaius took the documents Merlin held out to him and looked them over. “It was another lifetime when I taught you this tongue. Ah! I think I see your error, Merlin.” 

“So I was wrong. Did I translate it incorrectly?” Merlin asked. 

“No, that isn’t the problem.” Gaius said. “It is a code within a code.” 

Merlin watched as the older man walked to the window and held the ancient document up in the light. There were other symbols written invisibly on the document. 

Merlin got up and went to the window. “What does it say?”

Gaius looked at the hidden symbols then back at Merlin. “Are you sure you want to know this?”

“I need to know.” Merlin said. 

Gaius started to speak but stopped when there was a knock at the door. 

They turned to see Balinor standing there. 

“Don’t I get a hug from my only son?” Balinor asked. He held out his arms to Merlin. 

Merlin smiled and went to hug his father. 

Gaius slipped the ancient document into his coat pocket. He had a feeling that Balinor was here because of what he had just read on it. 

“Merlin, I’m going to speak to Arthur about the new hospital he has planned. I will let you visit with your father.” Gaius said. He handed Merlin the translation as he left. 

“I will see you later then.” Merlin laid the translation on his desk. 

“Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?” Balinor asked. 

Merlin went to get the tea from the pot on the table across the room. When he turned around Balinor and the document were gone. 

Gaius slipped into Morgana’s office and shut the door quickly. 

“Gaius?” Morgana asked as she looked up from the ledgers on her desk. 

“There is something you need to know.” Gaius said. He pulled the coded page out of his pocket. “There is a prophecy written on this.”  

“Tauren gave me that along with several other documents. He said he knew who the leader of the Dark Brotherhood is. Someone killed Tauren with dark magick before he could tell me.” Morgana told him. 

“He did and so do I.” Gaius said. “But I didn’t want to believe it until now.” 

“Who is it?” Morgana asked. 

“Balinor.” Gaius said confidently.       

Morgana looked at the old man in horror. “I wasn’t killed but I could have been. I was with Tauren when he was killed.”

Gaius leaned on her desk. “Balinor would never harm you because Merlin loves you and he loves Merlin.” 

Morgana started to cry. She put a shaking hand over her mouth. 

“Gaius, what are you doing in here? I thought you were going to see Arthur.” Merlin asked as he came inside Morgana’s office. “Do you have the document with the code on it?”

“Yes. I have it.” Gaius said.

“What is going on here?” Merlin demanded when he saw Morgana crying. 

“Your father is the leader of the Dark Brotherhood.” Gaius said. “He came to take the prophecy on that document. “

“What does it say, Gaius?” Merlin asked. 

“You believe it to be true then?” Gaius said. 

“He took the translation.” Merlin told him. “What is the prophecy?” 

“The magickal child of light and dark will bring the end to all things.” Gaius read from the page. 

Merlin closed his eyes and took a breath. “I know this prophecy but I don’t know who the child is or what it means.”         

Morgana sobbed. “Devon!”


End file.
